From Afar
by Kjminame
Summary: Kagome admits she loves Sesshomaru and is leaving with him to start a new life. But something tragic stands in their way. Oneshot.


**From Afar**

"YOU WHAT!" Screamed Inuyasha furiously. "YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS!" Sango, Miroku, and Shippou stood speechless watching Inuyasha's rant heighten in tension.

"It's true Inuyasha." Kagome said in a serious tone. "I love him." His face reddened at her words.

"HOW!" He exclaimed even more loudly. The rest of the gang turned their eyes on Kagome, awaiting her answer. She smiled.

"Love is unexplainable Inuyasha, it can't be timed, but I do know this, I love Sesshomaru, whether you like it or not."

Inuyasha's jaw was as low as the floor. He couldn't believe it. He couldn't believe she was in love that monster. "What are you yelling about anyway? You have Kikyo that loves you." She stated. The gang averted their eyes onto Inuyasha now.

"That….uh...well…THAT'S BESIDE THE POINT! He spat nervously. Sango smiled.

"Well I think it's great, I'm happy for you Kagome." She said joyfully. "I think so too, congratulations." Miroku also confided as Shippou popped onto his shoulder. "Me too Kagome!" Cheered Shippou grinning. Kagome smiled peacefully.

Inuyasha sat in a state of shock for a few seconds then burst into a fit of rage.

"WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?!" All four of them shot him annoyed glares. "Don't you realize she'll be leaving us?!" Inuyasha's words left them with sad expressions.

Kagome cheered them up. "It's okay, I'll come and visit you all the time." She said hopefully. Inuyasha rolled his eyes.

"You know what? Fine, go! I'm done trying to convince you to stay!" He spat again while crossing his arms and turning his back to them all, muttering under his breath. Kagome sighed softly.

"So when is he coming for you?" Sango asked. "Tomorrow at dawn." She replied enthusiastically. "We'll be there to see you off Kagome, you can count on it!" Shippou exclaimed happily, jumping into her arms and locking her in a tight embrace. She grinned.

"I hope so." Miroku put his hand on her shoulder. "We will Kagome, whether some people want to or not." Indicating that Inuyasha would be there even if they had to drag him by the hair. Inuyasha's ears twitched sharply at hearing them talk about him.

Finally, after having his back turned for a few minutes, he snapped back around to restart his rant.

"What? You guys think I can't hear you when I'm sitting right here? I'll go for you Kagome, but don't think for one minute that I'll be completely civil to him!" He sneered. Kagome narrowed her eyes at him and crossed her arms on her chest.

"You could try you know." She stated. The rest of the gang nodded in agreement. He stood up from the grass pouting.

"I can die trying." He complained to her. Kagome's face reddened a touch. " Oh come on Inuyasha, you can handle it for me." She said in an assuring tone. He huffed.

"Well, it's going to be kind of hard to be nice to someone who is my enemy and has tried to kill me!" He groaned. Kagome was becoming agitated.

"I don't really know why you can't handle him when Kikyo has tried to kill her and yet you love her." She pointed out.

Inuyasha smiled. " Yes, but she's a woman and a woman can never kill me." He stated confidently.

Kagome fumed. " Maybe not" She smirked maliciously. "But they can hurt you." Inuyasha's face whitened and his ears fell flat to his head.

"Inuyasha" She cooed. He knew what was coming next.

"SIT!" She yelled with force. The exact force that Inuyasha felt as his body smacked itself into the dirt.

Feeling better that his face was deep in the ground, Kagome regained her smile.

"Well, we'd better go inside, Kaede has supper cooking for us." She said while helping Inuyasha guiltily up from the ground.

The rest of the gang nodded while Inuyasha fed Kagome nasty glares. All she could do was grin at him as he inched away from her slowly.

"Your food is ready!" Kaede called from the doorway of the hut. And with that, the gang left the sun setting riverside to eat.

_**Time Span**_

Kagome awoke the next morning with a newly found joy. She couldn't help but smile. This was it. She was finally going with him. After all the time she spent with him in secret. She was finally able to love him in the open. She relished the thought of lying in his arms. Having him lovingly hold her. Him kissing her tenderly, without having to hide it. She felt bad about leaving her friends behind, but they gained the jewel shards, so she could move on. Naraku was dead, and the jewel was wished away. So no one could use it for any purpose. She no longer had a duty. She no longer harbored guilt. She was free to go. And who better to go with than the one she loved, Sesshomaru. The one who also loved her in return. Butterflies whirled in her stomach. She couldn't wait to see his face. Then to be whisked away with him. To love him until her dying day. But all her thoughts vanished rapidly at the sight of Miroku whipping open the hut flap.

"Kagome!" He yelled anxiously. She snapped up from her bed.

"We have a situation, come outside." He said before leaving the hut to return outside.

_**Time Span**_

Kagome walked outside to see the village being brutally desecrated. The huts and fields were all demolished, and some were even on fire. Most of the villagers appeared to have retreated from the village as it was dying. But some lay scattered across the ground.  
Completely devoured. She gazed around herself in confusion and helplessness.

'How could this have happened?' She thought. But once again her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of 'Tetsuiga!' Ringing from Inuyasha's lips. She turned to see Inuyasha, Miroku, Sango, and Shippo all standing at the feet of what seemed to be an enormous bat demon. Stained with fresh blood across his lips. Inuyasha of course, was swinging his sword at the beast angrily. But seemed more enraged than usual. Miroku stood back, protecting Sango. Shippo was clinging to her arms and shaking uncontrollably. Kagome noticed something else was out of place.

"Did Kaede flee too?" She asked as she approached Sango from behind. Sango turned around to face her. Displaying eyes sparkling with tears. She could barely speak.

"K…Kaede…i…is..." She sobbed. Kagome's eyes began to well with tears, dreading the words she might say.

"Dead" Kagome's heart skipped a beat. Her fear was realized. Tears began to fall down her face at an alarming rate. 'No.' She thought. 'Oh Kaede.'

"Die, damn it!" Inuyasha boiled as he threw attacks at the demon. The bat laughed manically.

"Half-demon, is that the best you offer me?" He roared. Inuyasha narrowed his eyes while gripping his Tetsuiga tighter. He turned his attention to his friends briefly.

"You guys need to get out of here! Get yourselves to safety!" He yelled orderly. The demon raised his eyebrows while smirking.

"Oh no half-breed." He sneered. Inuyasha's attention turned back to the bat.

"You and your companions aren't going anywhere. You will die here." Inuyasha turned to his friends again, this time with a hint of disparity in his eyes.

"You need to go! Now!" He called frantically. They all stood staring at Inuyasha as tears began to stream down his face. Kagome began to cry harder.

"Go! Please!" He yelled more firmly. The demon bat cackled.

"How cute." He snickered coldly. Inuyasha began to speak again. This time pleading.

"Don't die here Kag…!" But he was cut off by the demon's sharp claws closing in around his neck. Inuyasha gagged and coughed as they constricted him tighter and tighter. He was beginning to lose his color when the sound of a snap rang through the air. Inuyasha's neck had broken. Killing him instantly.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome cried out. She tried to run to his uninhabited corpse, but was held back by Miroku's tight grasp. She fell to her knees, breaking his hold. Her face deep in her hands. She looked back up at the bat demon. Tears stained her cheeks and anger filled her eyes.

"You cold-hearted bastard!" She bawled furiously. The demon snickered.

"You haven't even begun to see what kind of bastard I can be." He sneered. Shippo was now entirely hidden in Sango's arms. Crying profusely at every word the beast uttered. Kagome's heart was pounding.

"Let me show you." The demon laughed.

"What kind of bastard I can be."

_**Time Span**_

'What happened?' Sesshomaru approached the village without a sense of mercy. Corpses lay in front of him, scattered across his path. One of which he recognized. One that was of his own blood.

"Inuyasha?" He whispered to himself as he lowered to the ground to examine the body. The claw marks were still fresh on his neck. His eyes were still open. Sesshomaru placed his fingers on his eyelids to close them.

"Goodbye my brother." He said softly and almost remorsefully. He stood up to walk further into the massacre. He walked past some of the ruins of huts and the fire that still claimed them. As he continued, he discovered more familiar faces.

"The demon slayer." He spoke softly again. Sango's chest was gouged out. Her face was still wet with tears. He noticed something else even more depressing.

"The fox child." As he moved her arm, he found Shippo's numb corpse. Still buried in her robes. Not far from where they laid was Miroku. His throat slashed open and his Wind Tunnel exposed.

"He tried to save them." He whispered again.

"Sesshomaru?" He turned sharply to see Kagome lying on the ground. Drenched in her own blood. He jumped up quickly and sped to her side.

"Kagome." He whimpered while gazing at her wounds. She appeared to be slashed on the stomach. But she also had cuts on her arms and wrists. He caressed her hand gently. She smiled.

"It's okay, it is." She tried to assure him. He protested.

"No, it's not okay!" He said trying to choke back tears.

"You can't do this, you can't do this." He spoke while sitting her up so she could lie in his arms. He removed his hand from hers to touch her face.

"I relished this thought, of lying in your arms." She said softly. He kissed her on the forehead. She laughed quietly.

"That one to." He tried to smile, but he was unable.

"Please." He pleaded to her. She sighed.

"Do you love me?" She asked. He managed a half smile.

"I do, I love you." He spoke. She raised her hand to his cheek. He closed his eyes.

"That's all I'll ever need to know." She said faintly. He opened his them to reveal a single tear flowing down his face. She wiped it from his cheek.

"I'll always love you. I'll always be with you. I'll always watch over you. It will just be from afar. I swore to myself I would love you until my dying day. And now I have. I say this with the last breath I'll ever breathe. I love you Sesshomaru."

And with that, she passed away. In his arms. The light left her eyes.

_**Time Span**_

Sesshomaru walked up the hill to her resting place. The hill was small, but perfect for her. It overlooked the land of Kaede's old village. He knew she would want to be close to her friends. So he made a burial spot for her. He planted a cherry tree beside her grave. Its petals would fall every spring. She loved the smell of them. He knew she would enjoy having them lay upon her. He came every day. Lying white roses. He smiled as he kneeled to lay the roses beside where she rested. He felt the wind sweep through his hair. He knew she was there. She was with him. At that very moment. He smiled to himself again.

He knew she could hear him. He whispered their greeting. Their hello. Two words that meant everything to them.

"From afar."


End file.
